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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22776331">In A Material World</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/nancymoron/pseuds/nancymoron'>nancymoron</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gorillaz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Phase Three (Gorillaz), Phase Two (Gorillaz)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:54:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>948</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22776331</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/nancymoron/pseuds/nancymoron</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Gorillaz had said their piece. The Ogre had spoken.</p><p>2D and Murdoc finally open that bakery they'd dreamed of.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Murdoc Niccals &amp; Noodle, Murdoc Niccals &amp; Stuart "2D" Pot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>In A Material World</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hey hello i heard material girl for the first time in forever like half an hour ago and remembered something i wrote in april of last year and i thought i would post it here. it's not the best but ah well. i didn't bother editing it too much from its original state so.... idk, put up with it. find me on tumblr @tragedians or twitter @daniiIdankovsky and consider commenting if you liked this!! :)</p><p>murdoc can't listen to material girl anymore without getting the shakes.</p><p>oh- addendum- warning for the use of a knife to the throat.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The routine that Murdoc and 2D have gotten into is a nice one, they both have to agree. They bake together, every single day, in batches, and it’s quite the mindless task but the kind of mindless that makes you feel both elated and relaxed at the same time- something they’ve been needing for the longest time. It’s quite the contrast to getting high and performing on stage every single night for millions of fans, and perhaps even a <i>welcome</i> change. The Demon Days live shows had come and gone like flash fire and just like that, their tour was over. </p><p>Gorillaz had said their piece and the Ogre had spoken; they didn’t have any need for more music or another album. They were quite content with what they had and weren’t too eager to sell out by capitalising on their biggest hits and shoving out another album to get the record companies fat on the sales of the world’s biggest band. No. Instead, 2D had suggested that they take off together on a whim and start a business, and Murdoc, to drunk to disagree, had nodded so hard it seemed like his head was going to snap clean off.</p><p>Madonna’s <i>Material Girl</i> plays on the radio and as Murdoc looks up from the cherry scones he’s mixing, he sees that 2D’s swaying his hips and singing along, using a batter covered spoon as a microphone. It’s the kind of thing you’d expect from a teenager in their bedroom, but Murdoc doesn’t say anything and just smiles, nodding along as his friend begins to dance to the music. He could get used to this, actually, just living a quiet life in their bakery where he doesn’t have to pretend to be anything he isn’t, not like he does on camera. He doesn’t need that, not anymore. </p><p>Murdoc sighs softly as he starts to knead the dough, and 2D looks over at him from his worktop and smiles like everything in the world matters, that wonderful sunbeam smile that enraptured the hearts of billions. Murdoc rolls his eyes at him and sticks out his tongue, but he sings the chorus with him, tapping his foot to the song. (He doesn’t even <i>like</i> to sing in front of people, so he’s hardly going to start dancing where he can be seen.) </p><p>He’s always liked this song. He knows 2D loves it too, so he supposes it’s nice that it came on the radio at a moment like this because it’s these little things that should be remembered. He wishes Russel could have been here to see 2D dancing around like an idiot with that ridiculous grin on his face, but then baking’s never really been his thing. He’d much rather spend hours on his strange but artful taxidermy than potter about in a kitchen. All power to him, really. </p><p>Murdoc sings louder to be heard as he arranges his scones on baking trays, shaping them into various little animals, most prominently the swan. It gets to the point where he squishes the other little animals into pulp and changes them into swans just to be uniform, because he likes it that way. 2D likes it that way. </p><p>There’s a knock on the door, and Murdoc laughs as he makes his way over to the sink and washes his hands quickly to answer it. He sees in a mirror that 2D is making silly faces at him and waves him away good naturedly, opening the door.</p><p>On the porch is a box, and Murdoc’s blood runs cold as the ceilings of Kong Studio crack, chunks of plaster crumbling and falling from the heavens above. Ants crawl under his skin as he stands there, and he feels 2D breathing over his shoulder as he stares at the box. </p><p>He knows what it is. </p><p>He reaches out tentatively to open the box but the lid spring off, making him jump. He doesn’t know what to expect, and the sound of <i>Material Girl</i> grows louder to the point of being unbearable as a fifteen year old Noodle rises from the giant fedex crate, hovering in the air and staring down at Murdoc with a terrifying, judgemental stare. </p><p>He feels his throat go dry. </p><p>Murdoc hears the wall collapse around him but barely flinches, transfixed on the image of Noodle before him. He lets out a full bodied shudder at the crunching sound Noodle’s jaw makes as it dislocates, the girl’s mouth opening impossibly wide to the point where her it consumes her entire face, head tilting back. Suddenly, there’s loud radio static over the noise of <i>Material Girl,</i> and Noodle <i>screams.</i> </p><p>"Murdoc! Russel... Is there anybody there?! It's me, Noodle... Is there anyone there?! You need to reply- Hello, come in! It's Noodle! I've found the missing- they're coming! The reception here is really terrible... Murdoc!!! Murdoc! Come in! They know where you- Mur- it's coming from... Murdoc! Mayday! Mayday! Murdoc! <i>Come in, Gorillaz!!!"</i></p><p>2D leans down, a switchblade knife held tight to Murdoc’s throat. Somehow Murdoc hears him whisper into his ear perfectly over the mess of noodle begging for help and Madonna’s godforsaken song. "You killed her, didn’t you? What’d you do to Noodle, Murdoc? Did you murder our little girl? You <i>did,</i> didn’t you? <i>You killed my sister!"</i></p><p>Noodle slowly begins to melt like a wax figurine and falls apart, and Murdoc’s throat is slit by 2D’s blade as he darts forward to try and catch her.</p><p>For a few seconds, the chaotic white noise is gone, leaving only the soft, peaceful sound of the shore behind. </p><p>Murdoc wakes up suddenly, screaming until his voice is hoarse. </p><p>
  <i>The Boogieman screams back. </i>
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